Top bar hive. How thick planks?

Latest Articles

Author

Message

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15457
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 14 12:45 pm Post subject: Top bar hive. How thick planks?
Sorry for asking such an easily googled question, but it's not so easy to google from down the woods and it only just occurred to me to maybe cut some boards to build bee hives...

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 14 4:24 pm Post subject:
Can you open this? It has a cutting list. It won't cut and paste otherwise I would. https://www.scribd.com/doc/168332145/How-to-Build-a-Simple-Top-Bar-Hive

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15457
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 14 6:03 pm Post subject:
Thank you, looks good.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 14 7:49 pm Post subject:
Thicker planks will insulate it more. As long as its structurally sound I doubt it matters too much. Say 10-30mm ish. Thicker planks could be assembled with no framing, thinner ones with framing.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 14 10:01 pm Post subject:
The bee space inside is critical and I'm glad I made the theoretically double size version. It gives me space to work in and to put in things like feeders. I'm planning on insulating around the hive with sheep's wool when it gets colder.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 14 1:00 pm Post subject:
Really thick walled hives will take longer to warm in the spring. The bees are perfectly capable of maintaining the internal temps at optimum all year as long as they have enough food. So bees in a thinner walled hive will consume more winter stores but catch the early nectar & pollen. Keeping them dry is more important IMHO.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15457
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 14 8:45 am Post subject:
I was wondering about using treated wood for the legs. Is this likely to be a bad idea?

	Downsizer Forum Index -> The Apiary	All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

View Latest Posts